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346 TRAVELS OF EHRENMALM.
to the palates thofe who eat it, are neither lefs healthy nor vigorous. Perhaps the
cheefe and butter, with which they feafon this hard and infipid mefs, may fupply the
want of fubftance and moifture. Beholding on one fide the treafures and crimes pro-
duced by the torrid zone; on the other the want and peace which reigns towards the
frozen zone; we are at a lofs for which we fhould be moft thankful, the prodigality
or avarice of nature! Happy are the countries where fhe is neither fo harfh as to com-
pel men to war, nor fo liberal as to difpenfe with labour. Such is the fituation of
Nordland.
At the diftance of half a mile from the ferry-boat of Sederahl, towards the north-
weft, is found the linen manufactory of Flors. We faw children of the country,
who had been at the bufinefs but three or four years, working with all the confidence
and addrefs which might refult from a long experience. Here are manufactured fine
and coarfe cloth, thread ftockings, night-caps, damafked table-cloth, as fine as the
foreign. Yet it is complained that the works of this manufactory are of unequal tex-
ture, and little duration. This defe€& arifes from the inequality, both of heat and
humidity, which reigns in the rooms where they work. Each workman leans his loom
again{t a window; the exterior air is often moilt, while that of the room is hot. The air
which then enters at the crevices of the window, meeting the neareft threads preferves
them in their full length ; and thofe which are farther in the chamber dry and con-
tract. ‘The warp therefore becomes unequal, fhorter at one of its extremities than the
other, and breaks when worked. It mu({t often be renewed and the cloth in confe-
quence is weakened. When it is ufed, the change of drynefs and humidity which it
experiences, giving an unequal tenfion, occafions it to yield and break.
The hot water which is kept in thefe rooms, might give a temperate heat, and the
vapour arifing from it, might preferve the threads in nearly an equal degree of tenfion.
But the fun, whofe light is requifite, fhining on one fide of the room, ftill occafions
inconvenience. ‘To remedy this M. Bennet, the director of this manufacture, has
buried his fhop in a fandy eminence, and con{truéted a large parapet raifed to the win-
dows, made of bark of trees, mofs, heath, and every where covered with green turf.
By thefe means he gives a moderate degree of humidity to his rooms, nearly every
where equal, which muft produce the beft works. If the manufacture of Flors had
not been placed in fuch fkilful hands, it would have fallen into difcredit, from which
the greateft expenfe could have raifed it again but extremely flow ; fince it isnot more
eafy to reftore fafhion to articles, than reputation to men.
Thanks to the cares of an induftrious adminiftrator, I have feen in the bleaching
yard of the manufacture of Flors, thread as fine as that of Holland. The method of
fowing the linfeed in the environs, is the fame as formerly. But this manufacture has
infpired them with defire, and afforded them the means, of cultivating flax proper for
fine works. ‘They have learned the art of making the flax and cloth more quickly, and
rendering them extremely white. When the inhabitants of a country are able to im-
prove the gifts of nature, to procure themfelves a livelihood which affords greater com-
forts at the fame time that it requires more labour; when the increafe of induftry en-
fures that of fortunes and families ; a commerce more extended, the means of fubfiftence
multiplied, agriculture brought to perfection, a general activity, a more univerfal prof-
perity ; this moving fpeétacle fills the heart of a true patriot, with a lively and unatfect-
ed joy, with love for the labour which produces all thefe benefits, with zeal to employ
his talents and power for the happinefs of his brethren. A happy and contented
people is never beheld, without a delightful emotion, which makes us rejoice in our exs
iftence. We donot contribute to this public felicity, without gathering ourfelves Se,
fir
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